noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
/ɛmˈplɔɪmənt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:EH0 M P L OY1 M AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:IH0 M P L OY1 M AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The act of employing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The personnel director handled the whole employment procedure
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The state of being employed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The percentage of a country's population in employment used to be called "participation rate".
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A purpose, a use.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
An activity to which one devotes time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The number or percentage of people at work.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: economics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
the occupation for which you are paid
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he is looking for employment
a lot of people are out of work
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: work
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: occupation, business, job, line of work, line
Narrower terms: coaching, coaching job, engagement, booking, ministry, seafaring, navigation, sailing, workload, work load, piecework, service, telecommuting, teleworking, services, public service, paper route
From employ (itself from Middle French employer, from Middle French empleier, from Latin implicō (“enfold, involve, be connected with”), itself from in- + plicō (“fold”)) + -ment.
Across languages
Translations
214 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
աշխատանք
(ašxatankʻ)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Armenian:
գործ
(gorc)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Belarusian:
пра́ца
(práca)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Belarusian:
рабо́та
(rabóta)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Belarusian:
слу́жба
(slúžba)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Belarusian:
заня́цце
(zanjáccje)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Bulgarian:
слу́жба
(slúžba)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Bulgarian:
ра́бота
(rábota)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Chinese Mandarin:
職業 /职业
(zhíyè)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Chinese Mandarin:
工作
(gōngzuò)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Czech:
zaměstnání
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Danish:
arbejde
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Dutch:
emplooi
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Dutch:
werk
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Dutch:
benutting
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Finnish:
ansiotyö
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
French:
travail
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
French:
emploi
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
German:
Arbeit
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Greek:
εργασία
(ergasía)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Greek:
δουλειά
(douleiá)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Hindi:
नौकरी
(naukrī)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Hindi:
काम
(kām)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Hungarian:
állás
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Hungarian:
munkaviszony
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Irish:
feidhmeannas
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Italian:
impiego
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Japanese:
職
(shoku)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Japanese:
職業
(shokugyō)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Japanese:
業務
(gyōmu)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Japanese:
仕事
(shigoto)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Korean:
일자리
(iljari)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Korean:
직업
(jigeop)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Latin:
negōtium
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Malayalam:
ജോലി
(jōli)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Malayalam:
തൊഴിൽ
(toḻil)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Malayalam:
പണി
(paṇi)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Polish:
posada
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Polish:
praca
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Polish:
robota
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Polish:
zatrudnienie
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Portuguese:
emprego
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Portuguese:
trabalho
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Portuguese:
serviço
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Russian:
рабо́та
(rabóta)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Russian:
заня́тие
(zanjátije)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Russian:
слу́жба
(slúžba)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Scottish Gaelic:
cosnadh
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Scottish Gaelic:
obair
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Slovak:
zamestnanie
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Spanish:
empleo
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Swahili:
ajira
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Swedish:
anställning
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Ukrainian:
заня́ття
(zanjáttja)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Ukrainian:
робо́та
(robóta)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Ukrainian:
пра́ця
(prácja)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Ukrainian:
слу́жба
(slúžba)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Urdu:
نوکری
(naukrī)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Urdu:
کام
(kām)
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Vietnamese:
việc làm
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Welsh:
cyflogaeth
— occupation or work for which one is used, and often paid
Belarusian:
працаўладкава́нне
(pracawladkavánnje)
— act of employing
Bulgarian:
изпо́лзване
(izpólzvane)
— act of employing
Chinese Mandarin:
就業 /就业
(jiùyè)
— act of employing
Chinese Mandarin:
僱用 /雇用 or 僱傭 /雇佣
(gùyòng)
— act of employing
Chinese Mandarin:
雇用
(gùyòng)
— act of employing
Danish:
ansættelse
— act of employing
Dutch:
aanwerving
— act of employing
Dutch:
tewerkstelling
— act of employing
Finnish:
työllistäminen
— act of employing
French:
emploi
— act of employing
German:
Anstellung
— act of employing
Greek:
πρόσληψη
(próslipsi)
— act of employing
Greek:
εργοδοσία
(ergodosía)
— act of employing
Greek:
εργοδότηση
(ergodótisi)
— act of employing
Hungarian:
alkalmazás
— act of employing
Ido:
employo
— act of employing
Italian:
assunzione
— act of employing
Japanese:
雇用
(koyō)
— act of employing
Korean:
사용
(sayong)
— act of employing
Korean:
고용
(goyong)
— act of employing
Macedonian:
вработување
(vrabotuvanje)
— act of employing
Malayalam:
നിയമനം
(niyamanaṁ)
— act of employing
Norwegian Bokmål:
sysselsetting
— act of employing
Norwegian Nynorsk:
sysselsetjing
— act of employing
Norwegian Nynorsk:
sysselsetting
— act of employing
Polish:
zatrudnianie
— act of employing
Portuguese:
emprego
— act of employing
Russian:
трудоустро́йство
(trudoustrójstvo)
— act of employing
Serbo-Croatian:
запослење
— act of employing
Serbo-Croatian:
запосленост
— act of employing
Serbo-Croatian:
zaposlenje
— act of employing
Serbo-Croatian:
zaposlenost
— act of employing
Spanish:
empleo
— act of employing
Swedish:
anställning
— act of employing
Turkish:
hizmet
— act of employing
Ukrainian:
працевлаштува́ння
(pracevlaštuvánnja)
— act of employing
Arabic:
وَظِيفَة
(waẓīfa)
— state of being employed
Arabic:
تَوْظِيف
(tawẓīf)
— state of being employed
Belarusian:
працаўладкава́нне
(pracawladkavánnje)
— state of being employed
Belarusian:
за́нятасць
(zánjatascʹ)
— state of being employed
Bulgarian:
занима́ние
(zanimánie)
— state of being employed
Bulgarian:
зае́тост
(zaétost)
— state of being employed
Chinese Mandarin:
就業 /就业
(jiùyè)
— state of being employed
Chinese Mandarin:
僱用 /雇用 or 僱傭 /雇佣
(gùyòng)
— state of being employed
Chinese Mandarin:
雇用
(gùyòng)
— state of being employed
Czech:
zaměstnání
— state of being employed
Danish:
beskæftigelse
— state of being employed
Danish:
arbejde
— state of being employed
Dutch:
tewerkstelling
— state of being employed
Finnish:
työllistäminen
— state of being employed
French:
emploi
— state of being employed
Galician:
emprego
— state of being employed
German:
Beschäftigung
— state of being employed
German:
Erwerbstätigkeit
— state of being employed
Greek:
απασχόληση
(apaschólisi)
— state of being employed
Greek:
εργασία
(ergasía)
— state of being employed
Hindi:
नौकरी
(naukrī)
— state of being employed
Hungarian:
alkalmazás
— state of being employed
Irish:
fostaíocht
— state of being employed
Japanese:
使われている状態
(tsukawarete iru jōtai)
— state of being employed
Japanese:
雇用
(koyō)
— state of being employed
Japanese:
勤め
(tsutome)
— state of being employed
Japanese:
勤務
(kinmu)
— state of being employed
Korean:
고용
(goyong)
— state of being employed
Korean:
근무
(geunmu)
— state of being employed
Macedonian:
вработеност
(vrabotenost)
— state of being employed
Norwegian Bokmål:
sysselsetting
— state of being employed
Norwegian Nynorsk:
sysselsetjing
— state of being employed
Norwegian Nynorsk:
sysselsetting
— state of being employed
Pashto:
استخدام
(estexdãm)
— state of being employed
Persian:
استخدام
(estexdâm)
— state of being employed
Iranian Persian:
اِسْتِخْدام
(estexdâm)
— state of being employed
Polish:
zatrudnienie
— state of being employed
Portuguese:
emprego
— state of being employed
Russian:
трудоустро́йство
(trudoustrójstvo)
— state of being employed
Russian:
за́нятость
(zánjatostʹ)
— state of being employed
Scottish Gaelic:
cosnadh
— state of being employed
Serbo-Croatian:
запослење
— state of being employed
Serbo-Croatian:
запосленост
— state of being employed
Serbo-Croatian:
zaposlenje
— state of being employed
Serbo-Croatian:
zaposlenost
— state of being employed
Slovak:
zamestnanie
— state of being employed
Slovene:
zaposlitev
— state of being employed
Swedish:
anställning
— state of being employed
Tajik:
истихдом
(istixdom)
— state of being employed
Ukrainian:
працевлаштува́ння
(pracevlaštuvánnja)
— state of being employed
Ukrainian:
за́йнятість
(zájnjatistʹ)
— state of being employed
Urdu:
نوکری
(naukrī)
— state of being employed
Urdu:
نَوکَری
(naukarī)
— state of being employed
Vietnamese:
việc làm
— state of being employed
Arabic:
اِسْتِخْدَام
(istiḵdām)
— purpose, use
Bulgarian:
употре́ба
(upotréba)
— purpose, use
Danish:
anvendelse
— purpose, use
Dutch:
benutting
— purpose, use
Dutch:
gebruik
— purpose, use
Dutch:
nut
— purpose, use
Dutch:
emplooi
— purpose, use
French:
emploi
— purpose, use
Greek:
χρήση
(chrísi)
— purpose, use
Hungarian:
felhasználás
— purpose, use
Hungarian:
használat
— purpose, use
Hungarian:
igénybevétel
— purpose, use
Hungarian:
alkalmazás
— purpose, use
Isoko:
fax
— purpose, use
Italian:
impiego
— purpose, use
Japanese:
使うこと
(tsukau koto)
— purpose, use
Japanese:
使用
(shiyō)
— purpose, use
Korean:
사용
(sayong)
— purpose, use
Korean:
이용
(iyong)
— purpose, use
Latin:
ūsus
— purpose, use
Malayalam:
തൊഴിൽ
(toḻil)
— purpose, use
Malayalam:
ജോലി
(jōli)
— purpose, use
Polish:
zastosowanie
— purpose, use
Portuguese:
emprego
— purpose, use
Russian:
примене́ние
(primenénije)
— purpose, use
Russian:
испо́льзование
(ispólʹzovanije)
— purpose, use
Russian:
употребле́ние
(upotreblénije)
— purpose, use
Swedish:
användning
— purpose, use
Belarusian:
заня́цце
(zanjáccje)
— activity to which one devotes time
Bulgarian:
занима́ние
(zanimánie)
— activity to which one devotes time
Chinese Mandarin:
活動 /活动
(huódòng)
— activity to which one devotes time
Danish:
beskæftigelse
— activity to which one devotes time
Dutch:
emplooi
— activity to which one devotes time
Greek:
εργασία
(ergasía)
— activity to which one devotes time
Greek:
απασχόληση
(apaschólisi)
— activity to which one devotes time
Hungarian:
elfoglaltság
— activity to which one devotes time
Japanese:
仕事
(shigoto)
— activity to which one devotes time
Japanese:
活動
(katsudō)
— activity to which one devotes time
Korean:
일
(il)
— activity to which one devotes time
Korean:
활동
(hwaldong)
— activity to which one devotes time
Polish:
zajęcie
— activity to which one devotes time
Russian:
заня́тие
(zanjátije)
— activity to which one devotes time
Swedish:
sysselsättning
— activity to which one devotes time
Ukrainian:
заня́ття
(zanjáttja)
— activity to which one devotes time
Belarusian:
за́нятасць
(zánjatascʹ)
— number or percentage of people at work
Czech:
zaměstnanost
— number or percentage of people at work
Danish:
beskæftigelsesgrad
— number or percentage of people at work
Dutch:
tewerkstellingsgraad
— number or percentage of people at work
Dutch:
tewerkstellingscijfer
— number or percentage of people at work
Finnish:
työllisyys
— number or percentage of people at work
French:
taux d'emploi
— number or percentage of people at work
Hungarian:
foglalkoztatás
— number or percentage of people at work
Hungarian:
foglalkoztatottság
— number or percentage of people at work
Italian:
occupazione
— number or percentage of people at work
Japanese:
就業人口
(shūgyōjinkō)
— number or percentage of people at work
Korean:
취업률
(chwieomnyul)
— number or percentage of people at work
Korean:
고용 상황
(goyong sanghwang)
— number or percentage of people at work
Polish:
zatrudnienie
— number or percentage of people at work
Russian:
за́нятость
(zánjatostʹ)
— number or percentage of people at work
Slovak:
zamestnanosť
— number or percentage of people at work
Swedish:
sysselsättningsgrad
— number or percentage of people at work
Swedish:
sysselsättningstal
— number or percentage of people at work
Ukrainian:
за́йнятість
(zájnjatistʹ)
— number or percentage of people at work
